Following on from thread about costa rica now thinking about heading to Guatemala, going to antigua, languin, flores, tikal temples into Belize and the coast. Anyone been recently? We would be going at the start of May.
2 friends just got back from 2 or 3 weeks in Belize and Guatemala. The pics look amazing.
Was in Guatemala in 2004. I found Antigua slightly disappointing, enjoyed Tikal, Quetzaltenango and a place called Zunil though, and Attitlan was was ok. Will have changed a bit now, no doubt. I'd try getting off the beaten track if pos, and do some volcano hiking. Nicaragua has some spots worth a visit. Mexico better still, IMO.
Originally thought about costa rica and nicaragua but think belize and guatemala prob hits the spot more. I'm after somewhere interesting, challenging but not constantly looking over my shoulder and can hit a beach to relax for a while too. prob asking for too much but would err towards relaxing/easier otherwise I'd like to go back to India.
I went to Belize and Guatemala back in 2007. Pretty sure I've got the places we visited on my PC at home, I'll try and dig it out later when I get home.
Nothing useful to add but I would love to go to Belize... It's on my hit list 🙂
Cheers Keva
Thinking about trying to get a few days in NY at the end and a mate suggested heading from Belize to Cancun to get a flight, anyone done that?
Belize is a lovely place to go, with a few provisos. I went a couple of years ago, getting buses down from Cancun, stopping at Chichen Itza, Tulum etc.
Belize City is supposed to be pretty rough, but I didn't have any issues. Transport in Belize is very slow - if you want to get about and see much, flying is the way forward: think 20 minute hops in a VW Beetle with wings.
And it's not really a beachy kind of place: there are some beaches, but they're not the best for sitting on or swimming from, due to being narrow and having bad undertows. The diving is fantastic though, and the Cays are just lovely.
Cheers nicko did you buy the internal flights once there or beforehand?
here ya go, here's a list of places to visit from Mexico city to Panama city, it's the same trip I did back in 2007.
http://www.dragoman.com/holidays/itinerary/overland-between-mexico-city-and-panama-city?did=59295
Great thanks!
I was in Guatemala this summer and last summer. Visit the lake, don't cycle up Volcan Fuego (the bikes are crap and dangerous). Drink in the Ocelot Bar in Antigua (one of my fave drinking holes in the world). It's a cool place, enjoy! Get the shuttle bus to El Tunco in El Salvador, amazing surfing spot, stay in Tunco Lodge (the best in town in my view). You can get good exchange deals in the borders with the spivs in big hats and great wedges of dosh.
We had a couple of weeks in Belize a couple of years ago. Caught the express bus from Cancun down to Chetumal then walked to the other bus station and caught the chicken bus which took us down to Belize city, which has to be the scaryest looking place I've been too.
Other chicken buses were used to travel around and up to San Ignacio. We took the water taxi to Ambergris Caye but took the tiny plane back to Corozal. All transport was just walk-up, nothing booked.
The tiny plane was the most dangerous thing of the trip - I'm 6 foot so nearly a yard taller than most locals. I was sat in the front of the plane with Mrs BigJohn & daughter in the back 2 seats. As we were going down the runway the pilot started slapping my leg and yabbering in Creole. It turns out that the footrest that I was trying to move into a better position was actually the rudder. 😯
Guatemala has the highest concentration of aboriginal peoples in Centro Am, 26 different versions of Mayan spoken. If you go to Lake Atitlan, get a tour boat that takes you round the different towns, a stunning experience.
I haven't been to Belize since the 1990s but I presume the wildlife is still interesting....
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BigJohn, sounds um interesting
These last few posts have pretty much sold me on the idea 😉